Two Tabor athletes suspected of intending to distribute

Four Tabor College athletes as a fifth individual were arrested on suspicion of multiple drug violations when Hillsboro police executed a search warrant May 3 at a residence at 703 S Washington St., with assistance from sheriff’s deputies and Peabody police.

“We’ve had our suspicions for a while and started gathering information,” Hillsboro chief Dan Kinning said. “It was a big house and we knew it was going to take search the place but everything was pretty easy to find. They weren’t expecting us.”

Micah D. Mashburn, 22, and Jose A. Ruano, 25, were arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Tabor team rosters list Mashburn as a football player from Hillsboro, and Ruano as a soccer player from Homestead, Florida.

“We found enough evidence to lead us to believe that they were distributing,” Kinning said.

However, he would not disclose the quantity of marijuana police discovered because the case is still under investigation.

“We don’t base intent to distribute charges solely on the amount we find,” Kinning said. “The charge is added when we find paraphernalia that we believe has been or we believe is going to be used for weighing and packaging. It’s all taken into consideration; the paraphernalia is really just as important as the amount.”

Bruce A. Smith II, 23, Jonah G. McKee, 23, and Cayla L. Voegeli, 22, were arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Smith and McKee are on the Tabor football roster, which lists their hometowns as Ft. Worth, Texas, and Halstead, respectively.

Kinning confirmed Voegeli is not a Tabor student.

“Everybody who lived there was arrested,” Kinning said.

One of the five people arrested may face further charges Kinning said if a trace amount of substance found on a bill police believe might be cocaine tests positive. He said a sixth person who was not arrested also could potentially face charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kinning said the search warrant was obtained through information and intelligence gathered by Hillsboro police.

Amy Doane, director of communications at Tabor, said the college was aware of the situation and that their disciplinary process is ongoing in accordance with college policy.